rent parts of the lake. The army being assembled, and
joined by a considerable body of Indians, under the command of sir
William Johnston, the general detached colonel Haviland, with the light
infantry, the grenadiers, and one battalion of highlanders, to take post
at the bottom of the lake, and assist the armed vessels in finding a
passage to La Galette. On the tenth day of August the army embarked on
board the bateaux and whale-boats, and proceeded on the lake towards the
mouth of the river St. Laurence. Understanding that one of the enemy's
vessels had run aground and was disabled, and that the other lay off
La Galette, he resolved to make the best of his way down the river to
Swegatchie, and attack the French fort at Isle Royale, one of the most
important posts on the river St. Laurence, the source of which it in a
great measure commands. On the seventeenth, the row-galleys fell in with
the French sloop commanded by M. de la Broquerie, who surrendered
after a warm engagement. Mr. Amherst having detached some engineers to
reconnoitre the coasts and islands in the neighbourhood of Isle Royale,
he made a disposition for the attack of that fortress, which was
accordingly invested, after he had taken possession of the islands. Some
of these the enemy had abandoned with such precipitation, as to leave
behind a few scalps they had taken on the Mohawk river, a number of
tools and utensils, two swivels, some barrels of pitch, and a large
quantity of iron. The Indians were so incensed at sight of the scalps,
that they burned a chapel and all the houses of the enemy. Batteries
being raised on the nearest islands, the fort was cannonaded not only
by them, but likewise by the armed sloops, and a disposition was made
for giving the assault, when M. Pouchart, the governor, thought proper
to beat a parley, and surrender on capitulation. The general, having
taken possession of the fort, found it so well situated for commanding
the lake Ontario and the Mohawk river, that he resolved to maintain it
with a garrison, and employed some days in repairing the fortifications.

From this place his navigation down the river St. Laurence was rendered
extremely difficult and dangerous, by a great number of violent riffs
or rapids, and falls; among which he lost above fourscore men, forty-six
bateaux, seventeen whale-boats, one row-galley, with some artillery,
stores, and ammunition. On the sixth day of September the troops were
landed on the isl